THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Nursing Studies

Postgraduate Course: Telecare (NUST11084)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryAcross the globe, advances in science and technology have a major impact on longevity. Many more people are living into their old age with an associated increase in the prevalence of chronic and age related disorders. The use of Telecare, to support care at home, is celebrated as a means to promote efficient and effective health and care service provision. Yet, advanced practitioners must adopt a critical approach to understanding the ways Telecare is being implemented, evaluated and used, to ensure innovative practice remains needs led rather than technology driven.

This course offers students an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills with which to examine Telecare 'solutions' and tools to critique its use. It offers an insight into current trends and future developments of assistive technologies, whilst highlighting the benefits as well as the risks to service users, healthcare providers and society as a whole.
Course description Over the course of 10 weeks the online course is covering three main themes:

1. The technology: examining Telecare solutions and exploring user centred design.

2. The home: critiquing the transformation of the domestic environment into a smart extension of a care environment.

3. The practice: exploring issues around an evidence based approach, ethics and potential risks to service users and providers of health and care services.

To support a vibrant community of learners, students are asked to contribute to a weekly discussion board and have an opportunity to engage with the course leader regularly. For this 10 credit course students are expected to spend 100 hours of learning.

By the end of the course the student should have acquired the skills to:

Evaluate different types (generations) of assistive technologies and identify implementation methods for devices that support independent living;
Summarise and critically assess the existing empirical evidence regarding Telecare evaluations;
Chart the transformation pathway of the home from a caring domestic environment to a 'smart' extension of a care facility;
Explore the potential of embedding Telecare as part of a holistic care package, which addresses the effects of social isolation in older adults.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Evaluate different types (generations) of assistive technologies and identify implementation methods for devices that support independent living.
  2. Summarise and critically assess the existing empirical evidence regarding Telecare evaluations.
  3. Chart the transformation pathway of the home from a caring domestic environment to a 'smart' extension of a care facility.
  4. Explore the potential of embedding Telecare as part of a holistic care package, which addresses the effects of social isolation in older adults.
Reading List
OUDSHOORN, N. 2012. How places matter: telecare technologies and the changing spatial dimensions of healthcare. Social Studies of Science, 42, 121-42.

POLS, J. & WILLEMS, D. 2011. Innovation and evaluation: taming and unleashing telecare technology. Sociology of Health & Illness, 33, 484-98.

BARLOW, J., SINGH, D., BAYER, S. & CURRY, R. 2007. A systematic review of the benefits of home telecare for frail elderly people and those with long-term conditions. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 13, 172-179.

LINSKELL, J. & BOUAMRANE, M. M. 2012. Assisted-living spaces for end-users with complex needs: a proposed implementation and delivery model. Health Informatics Journal, 18, 159-70.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students undertaking this course will gain by enhancing their ability to:

Deal with complex issues, both on a practical and ethical level, which are core to technology enhanced clinical practice;
Create content in formats that support effective communications with a range of stakeholders;
Draw on the quality and breadth of their University experience to engage effectively with co-workers;
Use their talents constructively to create and harness opportunities to advance practice and lead change;
Flexibly transfer their knowledge, learning, skills and abilities from one clinical context to another;
Contribute to the local and wider community and influence decision making;
Recognise and manage risk while initiating and managing change.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserMr Sharon Levy
Tel: (0131 6)51 5595
Email: Sharon.Levy@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Sergio Mori Sierra
Tel: (0131 6)50 4661
Email: sergio.mori@ed.ac.uk
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